Fall opens the door to an entirely new New York. Changing leaves, crisp air, and a long list of seasonal activities and things to do on Roosevelt Island.

In response to the cooling weather, take your workout inside and work up a sweat at the indoor tennis court on the south end of the island. For fantastic waterfront views, pay a visit to the North Point Lighthouse.

Bold, vibrant foliage isn’t restricted to Central Park (although if you wanted to witness it, the tram or F train could have you there in a few minutes.) The lush greenery of Roosevelt Island turns a colorful hue as we progress into fall. Bring a picnic and a blanket, and immerse yourself in the season.

After experiencing all that Manhattan and Roosevelt Island have to offer, head home to your luxurious refuge from the city. With high ceilings, spacious rooms, and generous natural light, you might forget you’re in New York. But the moment you look out the floor-to-ceiling windows and take in the panoramic views of the skyline, it will take your breath away.

The Related lifestyle brings luxury and convenience to the enchanting community on Roosevelt Island.

... STATION ENHANCEMENTS | Until December 2018 57 St F Station is closed...

Both Tram Cabins operating at full capacity.

There is Roosevelt Island ferry service on the Astoria Route. Here's the new Fall Schedule for Roosevelt Island ferry service.

Last Friday, a Roosevelt Island resident tweeted this message in response to post about no Roosevelt Island F Train service from Manhattan.

Thanks for the heads up. I don't know how @MTA gets away with this. I'd think that @RelatedRentals and @cornell_tech would apply pressure since it makes their properties unattractive. Has the community ever partnered with them to advocate for better service?

Unfortunately that timetable was delayed several times but the good news is that construction has begun on the new Roosevelt Island library, scheduled to be completed in Winter 2020, and a groundbreaking ceremony is taking place 10 AM Friday, October 12.

You're invited to the Groundbreaking Ceremony.

According to the NYPL:

Roosevelt Island Library Groundbreaking Ceremony

Join The New York York Public Library to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Roosevelt Island Library. The new home of Roosevelt Island Library—a short walk from the existing branch—will be more than double the size to better accommodate the growing community, with more space for reading, programs, and computers.

The New York Public Library is outfitting a new, larger building to replace the existing branch. The new 5,200-square-foot building, which will add much-needed public programming space, will more than double the size of the current building. Construction is scheduled to start in the Fall of 2018.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Operations Advisory Committee Meeting of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Thursday, October 11, 2018 at 5:00 P.M. at RIOC Administrative Office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) is hosting a follow-up meeting Wednesday, October 10 at 10:30 a.m. to discuss the recent water test results of various Roosevelt Island drinking fountains.

This meeting is a follow-up to an initial meeting, held September 14 with the Roosevelt Island Residents Association, to answer additional questions about the testing results the public felt were unanswered.

WATCH the video of the first meeting here:

Dr. Roger C. Sokol, director of the Division of Environmental Health Protection, NYS Department of Health (available by teleconference); and various RIOC senior officials will be presenting information about the testing, the results and potential remediation plans.

The meeting will be held at the RIOC offices at 680 Main Street (just east of Gristedes supermarket).

If you wish to ask questions, please send your name and contact information to Alonza Robertson at alonza.robertson@rioc.ny.gov or via telephone at 212.832.4540.

Image From Frank Farance

Tomorrow's meeting is a follow up to the September 14 RIOC meeting with representatives of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA). The local press and other members of the public were not allowed to attend the September 14 meeting.

It appears that certain members of the Roosevelt Island community are misinterpreting data from our two recent laboratory tests of water samples from Island drinking fountains and are causing undue alarm.

After reviewing a second round of Roosevelt Island outdoor fountain water laboratory test results, a health official from the NYS Department of Health, in a statement we released August 8, said the water is up to standard.

“With the exception of Capobianco Park, the review of water quality results - analyzed the second time by a New York State Department of Health Environmental Laboratory Approval Program certified laboratory (Long Island Analytical Laboratory Inc.,) are consistent with the water quality being delivered by the New York City water system and meet all applicable drinking water standards,” said Roger C. Sokol, Ph.D., director of the Division of Environmental Health Protection, NYS Department of Health....

RIRA sent the following September 24 letter to RIOC President Susan Rosenthal regarding the September 14 meeting:

After our meeting on Sept. 14 to discuss the Roosevelt Island drinking fountain water testing results, it came to our attention that the full 79-page water testing report completed by Long Island Analytics was never disclosed to us. While you gave us two double-sided copied pages from that report with the "Volatiles" results of the Capobianco fountains buried inside, there was no executive summary attached as a face page and we were not afforded an opportunity to look thoroughly at these pages, either in preparation for or during, the session. Nor was it fully disclosed to us that the Healthy Buildings report which was provided at the meeting was the first and not the second set of testing. Neither the "Volatiles" results nor the findings that there were coliforms in fountains in Southpoint Park and Lighthouse Park were discussed at all.

The purpose of the meeting was for RIOC to fully disclose and report to us and the community as to RIOC's findings regarding the water systems and water testing. It was not to be an exercise where community attendees were to sift through the reports on the spot, identify all the problems, and ask questions about them. Based on what had happened during the meeting and what we understand now, the community can only surmise that RIOC did not want to discuss and fully disclose the aforementioned results with the public. It is small wonder that the bloggers on the Island believe that RIOC has deliberately kept the most damaging information from us and the community, especially since that is exactly what happened.

With regard to the total coliforms positive tests, during the session Dr. Sokol of the New York State Department of Environmental Protection stated that it was not unusual for total coliforms to be high when pipes had been turned off for a significant period of time and there was standing water in them. In July, however, after RIOC released an announcement saying the fountains had been turned off, both of ourselves, Rossana Ceruzzi and Mickey Rindler, visited Southpoint Park on behalf of the Island Services Committee and found that, in fact, the fountains were on and operational. The water fountains were never turned off as represented. Therefore, we demand that the fountains with positive coliform tests in both parks be turned off immediately and that they be retested for bacteria next spring before they are commissioned for public use. Similarly, we insist that the fountain at Blackwell House not be turned back on until it is retested and certified as safe.

Concerning the high levels of methylene chloride found in the fountains at Capobianco Field, Dr. Sokol, in his letter of August 17, also indicated that the detected levels were likely coming from glue to connect plastic piping, which we assume was what was used to construct or repair the water system in this field. This is very alarming to us because, if that is the case, then the sprinkler system water had the chemical as well and copious amounts of it were disseminated onto the field regularly. Hence, we are extremely concerned that even those using the field who did not drink from the water fountain were also exposed to this volatile potential carcinogen which can enter the body through the skin and, since it is volatile, the lungs. Moreover, chemicals generally leech out in an exponential fashion over time, meaning that the levels being measured now are, no doubt, much, much lower than those that were present soon after the actual contamination commenced.

In light of both recently discovered information, the results of our meeting and the above, we demand that

RIOC identify the source of the methylene chloride and inform RIRA and the public. If it is determined to likely be the glue used to connect pipes we demand to know when the work was performed and who did it.

RIOC inform RIRA and the public as to how and when you plan to correct the problem or replace the water system and what steps will be taken to prevent such contamination in the future.

To say that we and the community are severely disappointed with the disposition of our meeting and the actions of RIOC, and that all of our and the community's questions were answered during the September 14 meeting, is a severe understatement. Categorizing our September 14 meeting and the events that have transpired after as truthful and comforting is nothing more than pure spin on the part of RIOC on an already worsening and alarming situation.

I'm told the Noodle Shop is intended to be part of a new chain of restaurants and the Roosevelt Island location will be the first to open...

An update from this Hudson Related press release:

Liukoshui will open by the end of 2018 at 568 Main Street

Hudson Related Retail LLC today announced the signing of hot-pot restaurant Liukoshui to a 10-year, 505-square foot lease at 568 Main Street, located along Roosevelt Island’s Shops on Main retail corridor. The addition of Liukoshui will add to the growing eclectic mix of dining options at the Shops on Main, which also include Mexican restaurant Onda and bubble tea shop BubbleCool. Soon, Shops on Main visitors will be able to enjoy the increasingly-popular hot pot experience, where guests prepare food in boiling broth at their tables. The Shops on Main also feature a salon, dry cleaner, wine shop, diner and Chinese restaurant, all of which add to the variety of retail along the corridor.

“We are excited to add another eat-in dining establishment to the Main Street retail corridor and look forward to Liukoshui adding to the vibrancy of Roosevelt Island,” said Alexandra Kaplan, Project Manager at The Hudson Companies Inc.

“Hailing from one of the great food capitals of China, Liukoshui is excited to bring Chongqing Hot Pot Noodles to the U.S.,” said Yiliana Wu, Assistant Project Manager of Liukoshui. “Authentic flavors and signature dishes, such as our Spicy Chongqing Beef Noodles and Chun Chun, a traditional Sichuan Skewer, have been developed by us over many years. We look forward to see you at Liukoshui, Roosevelt Island!”

In March Lisa Management, the property management arm of The Hudson Companies, Inc, took over all marketing and leasing for the remaining available spaces on Main Street. These include 2,000 square feet at 521 Main St., 2,229 square feet at 563 Main St., and 2,172 square feet at 544 Main St. As property managers of the Shops on Main since 2002, Lisa Management is building on its extensive knowledge of Roosevelt Island retail in this expanded role.

If you haven’t tried Roosevelt Island's Bubble Cool Bubble Tea Café’s delicious summer menu, this week would be the perfect time to try it since Bubble Cool will be doing “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” promotion from Oct 9 – Oct 14 before switching to winter menu.

Bubble tea is a Taiwanese tea-based drink invented in Tainan and Taichung in the 1980s. Recipes contain tea of some kind, flavors or milk, as well as sugar. Toppings, such as chewy tapioca balls, popping boba, fruit jelly, grass jelly, agar jelly, and puddings are often added.

If you have never heard about cheese foam tea, you get the chance to try it at our store. Cheese foam tea is currently the most popular drink in Asian. Cheese foam tea is basically cheese foam on top of bubble tea.

which is rated as one of the best ice cream in New York City. Ice Cream favor includes: Taro, Black Sesame, Mango, Lychee, Vanilla, Mango, Pineapple, and Pistachio, etc.

We will change to winter menu in a couple of weeks. With winter menu, you can enjoy most of the drink as hot drink. We will add more interesting and delicious drinks and desserts to our winter menu.

Also, we will start serving American drip coffee and espresso coffee soon. Then you can enjoy unlimited drip coffee and great discount on espresso coffee with our membership plan. Non-member can also purchase our drinks at regular price.

What do you think of the Giant RI Monument sign at the Roosevelt Island Tram Plaza?

You can tell Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) representatives tomorrow if you like the Giant RI letters or if you think it is an eyesore meant only for tourists to take photos. According to RIOC:

Stop by the new RI Welcome Sign next Tuesday October 9, say hi, enjoy some jazz and get a free gift.

From 5 p.m. - 7 p.m., the R.I. Jazz Collective will perform some tunes as residents and visitors get a chance to ask officials questions and share their opinions about the new 10-foot-monument of red letters which rests on the lawn in front of the Roosevelt Island Tram Station. New York City cultural photographer Angie Vasquez will capture the moments in photos and will be sharing gifs (animated files of the compressed images) to post on social media.

The Roosevelt Island Operating Committee’s Real Estate Committee voted February 27 to move forward on the sign’s fabrication. The monument is set to be displayed for a three-month trial period to allow a lengthier time, than the previous two one-day displays last winter, to gauge public opinion and comments.

In addition to the welcome sign, the much-needed and often-asked for wayfinding signs and information kiosks – which offer visitors additional information and directions to Island businesses and landmarks beyond the Tram – have also been installed.

What kills me is whenever tourists DO take pictures with it, they’re usually standing RIGHT IN FRONT of it so you can’t even see the actual letters. Completely useless and an eyesore #Rooseveltisland#nychttps://t.co/lMHT3DFGCO

Boo hoo. These are probably the same people that don’t like the Christmas lights. The letters are fun and I see people taking pictures in front of them all the time. Have some fun you pilgrims. https://t.co/1LIf2ngqfF

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park is the first memorial dedicated to President Roosevelt in his home state of New York. Located on a triangular four-acre plot at the southern tip of Roosevelt Island in the East River, the Park, designed by Louis I. Kahn, includes walkways lined with trees, waterfront promenades, and a portrait bust of President Roosevelt created by artist Jo Davidson. Carved in the ‘Room,’ the Four Freedoms described in Roosevelt’s historic January 6, 1941 State of the Union address: freedom of speech and expression; freedom of worship; freedom from want; and freedom from fear.

First announced in 1973 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller, Mayor John Lindsay, and other visionary urban planners, the monument’s design was the last work of the late Louis I. Kahn, an iconic architect of the 20th century. Dedicated on October 17, 2012, the Park is operated in partnership with New York State by the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy. For more information on FDR Four Freedoms State Park, please visit: www.fdrfourfreedomspark.org.

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WELCOME TO ROOSEVELT ISLAND

Welcome to the Roosevelt Islander Online!

Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.

The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.